10 Montreal Stereotypes You Don't Want To Admit Are True

It's about to get real.

Montrealers can get a bad rap from people in other cities: we're rude, we're french, and we smoke excessively. And while we'd like to believe some of these are just unfounded stereotypes, a good portion of them are very much the truth. Whether you'll admit it or not, chances are you've been guilty of at least one of these.

1. We're horrible drivers.

Montreal drivers may start off by seeming just as bad as those in any other city. That is, until you’ve almost been hit while walking on the side walk, or see a school bus take off the side-view mirror of a car and just keep going.

2. We're obnoxious smokers.

Montrealers will smoke when they want, where they want. No one can escape the city without having had smoke blown in their face or stepping on a pile of cigarette butts.

3. We have poor transit etiquette.

The whole concept of moving to the back of the bus, or waiting until other people get off the metro before you try to get on, hasn’t really caught on in Montreal.

Montreal’s students tend to think that they’re pretty city savvy, but let’s be honest, most can probably count the number of times they’ve been east of St. Denis on one hand.

5. We’re snobbish about other cities.

When it comes to other major cities, nowhere else will ever be as cultured, or diverse, or beautiful as Montreal. Especially not Toronto.

6. We complain, A LOT.

In the summer it’s too hot, and in the winter it’s too cold. And there’s too much construction, always. And let’s not forget the fact that protests are a key component of Montreal culture.

7. You will immediately be judged based on what language you start speaking in.

If you speak French, you’re likely to be scorned based on your skill, and they will probably just switch to English to avoid listening to your pitiful attempts; if you speak in English, they’ll probably assume you’re just a lazy Anglophone. For the multitude of FSL speakers in Montreal, there’s almost no winning solution here.

8. We’re Lazy.

Montreal has spoiled us by putting everything so close together. Having to walk more than a few blocks to get from one bar to the next? What is that?

Sure, we’d like to think that people visit Montreal because of its amazing culture and history, but let’s be real - most of them are here because they heard it was an awesome city to party in 24/7. And, well, they’re not wrong.

10. The bikers are infuriating.

Not only do our bikers fully ignore almost every rule of the road, but they do it all year round. Thought it wasn’t possible to bike during a snow storm? Montrealers will prove you wrong.